Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion.

It tackles climate change, helps to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and boosts the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.

It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic development, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimizes investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area.

Legal entities from the EU and associated countries can participate.

While

“The EIC Accelerator supports individual Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in particular Startups and spinout companies to develop and scaleup game-changing innovations. In some cases, small mid-caps (up to 500 employees) are supported.”

To know what the EIC Accelerator is more in depth, check this article:

EIC Accelerator REPORT, 2021 – The Achievements

 

From the official Website:

PILLAR I
Excellence Science

1. EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL
European Research Council

Area of intervention: frontier science

Policy and strategy: The European Research Council, set up by the EU in 2007, is the premiere European funding organization for excellent frontier research.

It provides attractive and flexible funding to enable talented and creative individual researchers, with an emphasis on early-stage researchers, and their teams to pursue the most promising avenues at the frontier of science, on the basis of EU-wide competition based solely on the criterion of excellence.

ERC grantees have already made advances in new and emerging technological fields, including clean and digital technologies, as well as in many other areas targeted by the key strategic orientations of the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

2. MARIE SKLODOWSKA-CURIE ACTIONS
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Areas of intervention: supporting researchers in their training, skills and career development, fostering trans-national, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility, funding excellent doctoral and postdoctoral programmers, collaborative projects and promoting public outreach

Policy and strategy: the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are the EU flagship programme for doctoral and postdoctoral training, equipping researchers with new knowledge and skills through mobility across borders and exposure to different sectors and disciplines.

They enhance researchers’ training and career development systems, as well as institutional and national recruitment processes, in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the researchers recruitment.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fund the development of excellent doctoral and postdoctoral training programmes and collaborative research projects. They achieve a structuring impact on higher education institutions, research centers and other organizations way beyond academia by widely spreading excellence and setting standards for high-quality researcher education and training.

By doing so, they enhance the visibility and attractiveness of these organizations, not only across the European Research Area (ERA), but also worldwide.

3. RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES
Research Infrastructures policy
Access to European Research Infrastructures

Areas of intervention: consolidating and developing the landscape of European research infrastructures, opening, integrating and interconnecting research infrastructures, reinforcing European research infrastructure policy and international cooperation, consolidating and developing the innovation potential of European research infrastructures and activities for innovation and training

Policy and strategy: Research infrastructures are facilities that provide resources and services for the research communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields.

These include:

  • major equipment or sets of instruments
  • knowledge-related facilities such as collections
  • archives of scientific data infrastructures
  • computing systems
  • communication networks

Horizon Europe will endow Europe with world-class sustainable research infrastructures which are open and accessible to the best researchers from Europe and beyond.

It will also encourage the use of existing research infrastructures, including those financed from funds under the EU’s Cohesion Policy.

In so doing, enhancing the potential of the research infrastructures to support scientific advance and innovation, and to enable open and excellent science in accordance with the FAIR principles, alongside activities related to EU policies and international cooperation.

Research Infrastructures will also contribute to achieving the 4 key strategic orientations of the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

PILLAR II
Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Clusters

1. HEALTH
Research area: Health
Mission area: Cancer
Candidates for European Partnerships in this cluster

Areas of intervention: health throughout the life course, environmental and social health determinants, non-communicable and rare diseases, infectious diseases including poverty-related and neglected diseases, tools, technologies and digital solutions for health and care including personalized medicine and health care systems.

Policy and strategy: the aims of this cluster include improving and protecting the health and well-being of citizens of all ages by generating new knowledge, developing innovative solutions and integrating, when relevant, a gender perspective to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases.

Further aims include developing health technologies, mitigating health risks, protecting populations and promoting good health and well-being in general and at workspaces.

Finally, this cluster also aims to make public health systems more cost-effective, equitable and sustainable, prevent and tackle poverty-related diseases, and support and enable patients’ participation and self-management.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

2. CULTURE, CREATIVITY AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
Research area: Social Sciences and Humanities

Areas of intervention: democracy, cultural heritage and social and economic transformations.

Policy and strategy: this cluster aims to strengthen European democratic values, including rule of law and fundamental rights, safeguarding our cultural heritage, and promoting socio-economic transformations that contribute to inclusion and growth.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

3. CIVIL SECURITY FOR SOCIETY

EU civil security research is one of the building blocks of the Security Union. Research in this cluster supports the following policies

Areas of intervention: disaster-resilient societies, protection and security and cybersecurity.

Policy and strategy: this cluster responds to the challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

4. DIGITAL, INDUSTRY AND SPACE
Research area: Industrial research and innovation
Research area: Space
Candidates for European Partnerships in this cluster

Areas of intervention: manufacturing technologies, key digital technologies including quantum technologies, emerging enabling technologies, advanced materials, artificial intelligence and robotics, next generation internet, advanced computing and Big Data, circular industries, low carbon and clean industries, space including earth observation.

Policy and strategy: the overarching vision behind the proposed investments under Cluster 4 is that of Europe shaping competitive and trusted technologies for a European industry with global leadership in key areas, enabling production and consumption to respect the boundaries of our planet, and maximizing the benefits for all parts of society in the variety of social, economic and territorial contexts in Europe.

This will build a competitive, digital, low-carbon and circular industry, ensure sustainable supply of raw materials, develop advanced materials and provide the basis for advances and innovation in global challenges to society.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

5. CLIMATE, ENERGY AND MOBILITY
Research area: Climate action
Research area: Energy
Research area: Transport
Mission area: Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
Mission area: Climate-neutral and smart cities
Candidates for European Partnerships in this cluster

Areas of intervention: climate science and solutions, energy supply, energy systems and grids, buildings and industrial facilities in energy transition, communities and cities, industrial competitiveness in transport, clean, safe and accessible transport and mobility, smart mobility, energy storage.

Policy and strategy: this cluster aims to fight climate change by better understanding its causes, evolution, risks, impacts and opportunities, and by making the energy and transport sectors more climate and environment-friendly, more efficient and competitive, smarter, safer and more resilient.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

6. FOOD, BIOECONOMY, NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
Research area: Environment
Research area: Biodiversity
Research area: Environmental observation
Research area: Agriculture, forestry and rural areas
Research area: Oceans and seas
Research area: Food systems
Mission area: Adaptation to climate change including societal transformation
Mission area: Healthy oceans, seas and inland waters
Mission area: Soil health and food
Candidates for European Partnerships in this cluster

Areas of intervention: environmental observation, biodiversity and natural resources, agriculture, forestry and rural areas, seas, oceans and inland waters, food systems, bio-based innovation systems in the EU’s bioeconomy and circular systems.

Policy and strategy: this cluster aims at reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, inland waters and sea and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society in both urban and rural areas.

It will ensure food and nutrition security for all within planetary boundaries through knowledge, innovation and digitalization in agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and food systems and steer and accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy, including forestry.

Research and innovation activities under cluster 6 will contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal related to the Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the Farm to Fork strategy, the European Climate Pact and initiatives under sustainable industry and eliminating pollution, as well as the long-term vision for rural areas, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The expected impacts of this cluster are contained in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

7. NON- NUCLEAR DIRECT ACTIONS OF THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE
Join Research Centre

Areas of intervention: strengthening the knowledge base for policy making; health; culture, creativity and inclusive society; digital, industry and space; climate, energy and mobility; food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment; innovation, economic development, and competitiveness; scientific excellence; territorial development and support for EU countries and regions.

Policy and strategy: The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission’s science and knowledge service which employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support to EU policy.

The aim of this area of Horizon Europe is to generate high-quality scientific evidence for good public policies.

New initiatives and proposals for EU legislation need transparent, comprehensive and balanced evidence, whereas implementation of policies needs evidence to measure and monitor progress.

The JRC will provide EU policies with independent scientific evidence and technical support throughout the policy cycle. The JRC focuses its research on EU policy priorities.

The work programme for this area will support a number of the orientations defined in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

PILLAR III
Innovative Europe

1. EUROPEAN INNOVATION COUNCIL
EIC website

Areas of intervention

  • Pathfinder funding: for advanced research, supporting early-stage development of future and emerging breakthrough, market-creating and/or deep tech technologies;
  • Transition funding: to help researchers and innovators develop the pathway to commercial development for promising research results;
  • Accelerator funding: to support individual SMEs, startups and small mid-caps to bridge the financing gap between late stages of research activities and market take-up, to effectively deploy breakthrough, market-creating innovation and scale-up companies where the market does not provide viable financing;
  • additional activities such as prizes and fellowships, and business added-value services.

Policy and strategy: the European Innovation Council (EIC) promotes breakthrough innovation with scale-up potential at the global level.

It focuses mainly on breakthrough, deep-tech and disruptive innovation, targeting especially market-creating innovation.

The EIC also supports strategic technology and innovation challenges which will take into account the priorities of the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

2. EUROPEAN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

Areas of intervention

  • builds interconnected, inclusive innovation ecosystems across Europe by drawing on the existing strengths of national, regional and local ecosystems and pulling in new, less well-represented actors and territories to set, undertake, and achieve collective ambitions towards challenges for the benefit of society, including the green, digital, and social transitions;
  • reinforces network connectivity within and between innovation ecosystems to accelerate sustainable business growth with high societal value;
  • supports the European Partnership for Innovative SMEs (Eurostars 3);
  • complements the European Regional Development Fund support for innovation ecosystems and interregional partnerships around smart specialization topics.

Policy and strategy: European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE) will act in complement and synergy with the European Innovation Council (EIC) and European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and innovative activities across Horizon Europe and other EU funding programmes to improve the overall ecosystem for innovation in Europe.

The EU aims to create more connected and efficient innovation ecosystems to support the scaling of companies, encourage innovation and stimulate cooperation among national, regional and local innovation actors.

It will contribute to all 4 key strategic orientations of the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

3. EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
EIT website

Areas of intervention

  • strengthening sustainable innovation ecosystems across Europe
  • fostering the development of entrepreneurial and innovation skills in a lifelong learning perspective and support the entrepreneurial transformation of EU universities
  • bringing new solutions to global societal challenges to the market
  • creating synergies and added-value within Horizon Europe

Policy and strategy: the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an independent EU body. It increases Europe’s ability to innovate by nurturing entrepreneurial talent and supporting new ideas.

The EIT will also contribute to achieving the 4 key strategic orientations in the Horizon Europe strategic plan.

About AFS

  • Andriotto Financial Services team is an official advisors of the European Commission for Horizon 2020
  • AFS has a Centre of Excellence in Switzerland with some of the most skilled EU grant specialists, writing a successful proposal and supporting clients during the different implementation phases
  • AFS evaluate and select the best projects and enterprises around Europe to receive public funding
  • Our client portfolio includes some of the most important public institutions in Italy and in Europe
  • Participating in Horizon 2020 is an ambitious challenge; however, we have one of the highest success rates between our European competitors.

Down below, you can learn more about each service:
https://www.andriotto.com/what-we-do/

You can find more info about the AFS team here:
https://www.andriotto.com/team/

HOW TO CONTACT AFS:
https://www.andriotto.com/contact/

Some of the Related Articles:

EIC Accelerator: Evaluation Criteria

Horizon Europe 2021-2027: topics in discussion